


Waiting to Be Rewritten

by MossadHuntinDog



Series: Changing the Story- The Rewritten Series [1]
Category: Ever After High
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-08-29 16:56:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 21,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16747912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MossadHuntinDog/pseuds/MossadHuntinDog
Summary: She was the young, elusive Queen of Marberly, a kingdom to the south of Ever After. Her destiny had already been claimed. So how exactly did she end up attending Ever After High? And more importantly, what changes would her arrival bring?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Written: 2014. Found: 2018. - Licia

The car came to a stop; a moment passed, before she leaned forward to look out the window. The castle that was the school of Ever After High towered overhead, and for the briefest of moments, she felt an overwhelming sense of fear, before it dissipated. "Do I really have to do this, Daddy?"

"You're only going to be here for a year, remember that."

"But why? I already graduated from Wanderley Prep, why do I have to attend Ever After High? I'm an adult-"

"By Marberly's standards, but by the rest of the world's standards, you're a seventeen-year-old girl, and seventeen-year-old girls need to be in school."

"But I don't plan on living  _anywhere_  but Marber-"

"It's only for a year, honey. Think of this as a learning experience. Here, you'll learn how _not_  to follow destiny." He chuckled. "Besides, according to your mother, Ever After High has some magical courses you couldn't even get at Wanderley. Plus you'll make some new friends. This will be a good experience for you. And at the end of the year, you can come home to Marberly and you won't have to leave unless you want to."

She narrowed her gaze. "I only have to stay a year?"

He nodded. "One year."

The young woman seemed to consider the terms for a moment, before holding out a hand. "Fine, deal. _But-_ " She held up a hand, ticking off her demands on each small finger. "We have regular chats when I'm not in class, you keep me abreast of everything going on, if I need to have a meeting with our advisers, you patch me in, and if it's urgent, I get to come home for it. I also get to come home for all the breaks, and even some weekends. And if there are dignitary visits, I get to come home for those too."

A soft chuckle, and he held out his hand, impressed and proud with her ability to lay out her list of demands before shaking on it. He'd raised a smart girl, that was for sure. "It's a deal." After a firm handshake, the door opened and he got out; a moment passed, before she gathered up her light jacket and clutch, and reached out to take his hand as he opened the door for her.

The castle was much bigger now that she stood staring up at it as opposed to just sitting behind the window of her limo. It rose upwards and out, slicing through the sky with its red brick turrets covered in climbing ivy. Students milled about; this being only the second week of the school year, the classes were mainly getting reacquainted with the schedules and the school in general. Several people gathered to whisper about her, having noticed the limousine pull up, but she paid them no mind. Instead, she turned to her companion, violet eyes wide. "I never knew it was  _this_  big."

Her father chuckled softly. "Wanderley still dwarfs it in comparison. But it does have some of the best magical courses in all of Ever After. Or so I've been told."

She nodded, thinking of her mother, who had once attended Ever After High when she was no older than her own daughter. From the stories, her mother had only attended Ever After High for a year before returning home and studying at one of the country's best preparatory schools. She turned back to the school, as a man she assumed was the headmaster made his way towards them.

_Ever After High. The school where the students learned to take over their parents' destinies._

A shudder ran through her. She remembered the stories her mother used to tell her, about Ever After High and it's flaunting of sticking to the story written before, of it's Legacy Days and the signing of the Storybook of Legends. Destiny; she had already inherited her father's 'destiny', a much better fit. Personally, she was glad that she didn't have to inherit her mother's destiny. To be known as the Evil Queen...

_It drove Mom to madness._

She swallowed, turning to glance at her father. One question tugged at her brain, and after a moment, she felt her teeth release her lower lip. "I... won't have to take part in Legacy Day, will I? I mean... my 'destiny' has already been decided. My reign started after you stepped down last year. So... essentially, I... I don't even have a destiny." She looked around, catching sight of some of the students. "Not like they do."

Her father pulled her into a hug. "No, blackbird. You won't have to. I've already spoken to Headmaster Grimm; you're exempt from Legacy Day. You may attend to watch, but you don't have to participate." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Remember, no matter what, I'm so very, very proud of you."

She sighed, wrapping her arms around her father and burying her face in his chest. "Thanks, Daddy."

"Ah, Your Majesties. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She turned to find a man a little older than her father standing before them. Slightly overweight, with a black mustache, in a dark blue suit, he held out a hand. "I'm Headmaster Grimm. And you must be Raven." The older man turned to her; she held out a hand, as she'd been taught when meeting someone, and he accepted, brushing a soft kiss to her gloved knuckles with a slight bow. "Ever After High is thrilled to be hosting you this year, Your Majesty."

"I'm... thrilled to be attending, Headmaster." She replied softly, forcing the smile. The last thing she wanted to do was attend school, when she'd  _already_  graduated and was currently ruling her small homeland. Though Marberly was a fairly small principality by the rest of the world's standards, in actually, it was quite a good-sized country, with a thriving commerce in regards to trade.

"You will be rooming with another student in the girls' dormitory for the year. I hope that's all right, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, we do not have private rooms-"

"That's fine." She cut him off. "I roomed with another girl at Wanderley Prep, and we got along quite well."

The other man nodded. "Yes, well, when you're ready, I have your schedule and key." He then nodded slightly, moving away to give the father and daughter some space. She turned to him, wrapping arms around her father's neck.

"I'll miss you."

He kissed her temple before pulling away. "Marberly will always be there, you can always return. Remember your conditions."

She nodded, and he reached up, brushing a couple stray tears away she hadn't noticed until then. He pressed another firm kiss to her forehead, before finally pulling away and returning to the car. She watched as her father moved to get back in the car. "Daddy?" He stopped, turning back. "I love you."

A smile tugged at his lips, turning the ends of his beard up slightly. "I love you too, blackbird."

Once he was gone, she turned back to the school, taking a deep breath. Her few bags sat beside her, and after a moment, she flicked her wrist; the steamer chests levitated into the air, floating a couple feet off the ground, and once she was certain everything was in order, she made her way towards the headmaster. He held out her class schedule and room key, before leading her through the double doors. She followed the headmaster, leaving behind several students who, as soon as she was out of earshot, began to whisper and question exactly who the new girl was.

_"Who is she?"_

_"I heard she's a queen! Like an actual queen!"_

_"I've never seen that type of magic before."_

Eventually, the headmaster led her to the girls' dorm; they stood before a huge oak door. "Your father sent the rest of your things ahead of you; I hope you will find everything to your liking, Your Majesty." She nodded, turning to him.

"May I ask- who exactly is my roommate?"

The headmaster chuckled softly. "Of course. Apple White, the daughter of Snow White and the future queen of Ever After."

"Oh." A sense of unease shot through her. Coming from a land where destiny was just a word, it would take some time for her to get used to the idea of it being an actual  _thing_. "That's... nice." She swallowed thickly, before,

"Thank you, Headmaster, for all your help today."

He nodded, bowing to her. "Of course. You're exempt from classes for the first couple of days, until you get settled. I've informed the professors of your arrival, and they will give you the assignments as they see fit; your schedule reflects what you should be studying. We've already taken the courses you took at your former school into consideration, so your schedule is a little lighter than everyone else's."

She quickly glanced at the schedule. "Muse-ic?"

"Ah, yes. Your father suggested a few of our courses for you; he said that you will most likely enjoy them more than Princessology or Damsel-in-Distress training."

This time, she took a closer look at the schedule.

_Muse-ic. Hero Training. Good Kingdom Management._  Her father certainly knew her well.

"If you need anything else, do not hesitate to get hold of one of the faculty or myself, Your Majesty. I'll leave you to get settled."

"Thank you."

And with another nod, he excused himself, leaving her alone. After several seconds, she slid the key into the lock, unlocking the door and pushing it open. Her things had indeed arrived, and were waiting for her to put them away. Her bed was closest to the window in their small turret dorm, and after slipping inside, she quickly shut the door, made her way to her side of the room, slipped out of her heels, and collapsed onto her bed. The mattress jostled slightly, and she let her gaze wander up to the canopy overhead as her brain struggled to take in the new scenery, surroundings and all the information she'd received since arriving. It was all going by so fast, she barely had time to allow her brain to process it..

It was going to be a _long_  year.


	2. Chapter 2

She'd gotten everything unpacked and put away in record time; once the last of her things were tucked away, she slipped back into her heels and grabbed her small clutch. Her father had raised her to always have something in her hands whenever she went out, for the press were always waiting and watching. From the time she was a toddler, she'd learned to present the perfect face to the outside world, and though those in Marberly didn't care how she presented herself, she cared. Especially after her mother had been locked up- at six-years-old, she hadn't understood what had really gone on, she'd just understood that now it was just her and her father- the 'Good King' of Marberly and his daughter, the Crown Princess.

As she locked the door to her dorm and slipped the key into her clutch, she chuckled. The 'Good King', like something out of a fairy tale, made even more ironic considering she was now attending a high school for the children of fairy tale characters. To the people of Marberly, he was a kind and gentle ruler, who cared deeply for his people and country, and had managed to be the steady hand in raising his daughter, especially after her mother was taken away. The nickname had stuck, and, her father seemed to relish it.

She tossed her head and strode down the hallway, leaving the dorms and making her way through the school, headed for the double doors at the front of the castle. If she was going to live here for a year, then she was going to get well acquainted with the place. She ignored the whispers that followed her, the stares and shrugs from other students.

She stopped at the base of the steps, gaze drinking everything she could see in. After a moment, she continued forward, following the path her father's limo had taken. They'd passed through a small town before coming upon Ever After High, and she wondered now if she could find her way back to it. A moment passed, before she spotted a couple of girls sitting on a bench, chatting, not far from the entrance, and made her way towards them.

Both looked close to her age- maybe sixteen or just-turned-seventeen at most. The girl on the left wore a black skirt with a pair of black leggings and brown boots with a red plaid halter top; a red capelet with an attached hood hung about her shoulders, the hood up to hide her features. She said something that made the other girl laugh, her voice slightly raspy. As she got closer, she noticed something off about the other girl. Tattoos covered her skin- no, not tattoos, she realized as she got closer, but something else. Something that almost resembled...

The grains of... wood.

She tried not to stare as she got closer, and after a moment, ducked her head, hoping she hadn't been caught. Both girls looked up as she approached. Silence fell between the two, and they waited. After a moment, the girl in the red cloak spoke up. "Can we help you?"

She took a deep breath, slowly lifting her head. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but, I just arrived and I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the nearest town?"

The girls shared a glance.  _Just arrived? Exchange student? Transfer?_

"Well, there's the town of Bookend. It's not that far from here, maybe... a five, ten minute walk? Most of the students go down there on weekends. It's got all kinds of little shops and restaurants." The girl stopped. "I'm sorry, you said you just arrived at Ever After High?" She nodded. "Where from? Are you a transfer? An exchange student?"

The girl bit her lip. What did she say? She didn't want to give herself away; she came to Ever After High to learn more advanced magic, not make friends, like her father had suggested. As far as she was concerned, she was there for one purpose only, and the sooner she got that done, the quicker she could return home. She had a country to rule, after all. She wracked her brain, before finally,

"Recent transfer."

The wooden girl grinned, suddenly excited. "That's great! Where did you transfer from?"

She bit her lip. "Wanderley Prep."  _Best to give the name of the school, so they assume you're just a transfer from another school._

"Never heard of it." She exhaled a relieved sigh, internally. "Oh! I'm Cedar and this is Cerise." She just nodded, not reaching for the other girl's outstretched hand, instead, preferring to fiddle with her clutch. "Come on, why don't we take you to Bookend? That way you don't get lost. Not that you'll get lost anyway, but then you won't be lonely." She nodded, as the two stood, falling into step on either side of her as they started down the path towards the town.

_It would be nice to hangout with someone, especially with Mira back in Marberly._  She mused, as the girls instantly started in on explaining things. As they walked, she let her mind wander back to her time at Wanderley. She and her roommate, Mira, had gotten to be best friends over the six years they'd been there- for Wanderley started their students out at the tender age of twelve as opposed to a normal high school. Mira was the daughter of her father's favorite adviser, so they'd grown up knowing each other, but hadn't gotten to  _really_  know each other until they started at Wanderley. As soon as she'd taken the throne, she'd turned to Mira, asking her to take her father's place, knowing that the girl was someone she could trust. Both her father and Mira's had understood, conceding that this new reign would be run by the minds of the younger generation, for it was their turn to now care for the people of Marberly.

"Welcome to Bookend!" Cedar spread her arms wide with a giggle, and she looked up, surprised to find that they were standing in the town square. How had so little time gone by? It really must have been a short walk. Her gaze darted around, drinking everything in, a tiny smile tugging at her lips.

_It looks like some of the small villages that dot the borders of Marberly._  Something told her she'd feel right at home in this Bookend. "It's... quaint." She whispered, glancing at Cerise, who raised an eyebrow, before opening her mouth, but Cedar spoke up.

"I forgot to ask your name!"

She giggled, turning her gaze back to the town, trying to decide where to go first. "Raven. My name's Raven."


	3. Chapter 3

Two hours later, Raven followed Cerise and Cedar back up the path that led to Ever After High, her arms laden with bags that contained everything from textbooks to things she would need for when the snow came in winter, because apparently, up north, it was a lot colder than down south. Down in Marberly, the snow was light and oftentimes, there was simply a chill in the air.

"Do you two room together?" The girls nodded. "And you get along?"

"Why wouldn't we? We're best friends." Cedar replied.

She shrugged. "My roommate at Wanderley and I didn't exactly get along at first. But then again, we grew up together, but we didn't really know each other either. It wasn't until we were forced to room together that we got to know each other. Mira's my best friend. Now. But back then... not so much."

Cedar giggled. "That happens sometimes. Who are you rooming with here?"

She adjusted her hold on the bag that had her textbooks, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Um... Apple White? I think that's her name."

"Hold up. You're rooming with the daughter of Snow White?" She nodded at Cerise's look of horror. "I'm so sorry."

An eyebrow rose. "Why?"

"Because it's _Apple_. She's the most... conceited, self-centered prissy princesses at Ever After High."

"I cannot tell a lie, and she's... well, she's just not very nice." Cedar added.

"She's thinks she's better than everyone because she's the daughter of Snow White. Getting her Happily-Ever-After is the most important thing to her, and she doesn't care who she steps on to get it, even though she has no rival who will be her Evil Queen. Legacy Day is this year, and she's thrilled, because everyone will be forced to sign, regardless of whether they want to or not."

"Rival?"

"There's no one here who will become the next Evil Queen." Cerise explained as she quickly unlocked the door to her dorm once they reached it and led them inside. After putting her things away, she plopped onto the bed, inviting the other girls to join her. Cedar took a seat on the edge while Cerise curled up on the foot, tucking her legs beneath her. Slipping out of her heels, she settled back against the multitude of royal purple pillows that resided at the head of her bed, pulling the smallest- one her grandmother had made for her when she was a child- into her arms.  _So you have a piece of home with you while you're away_ , her father had told her.

"I guess there was a girl from a kingdom to the south of Ever After that was the daughter of _an_  'Evil Queen', but she never showed up. When Apple realized that her potential rival had never arrived at school our freshman year, she threw a fit and demanded that Headmaster Grimm order the girl to come. But the girl was already attending another school or something, and when he contacted the king of the country, he put his foot down and told him that he wasn't going to send his beloved daughter to a school where she had to become a villain to make another girl happy. He's the only parent to ever stand up to Headmaster Grimm."

"I take it most parents don't stand up to Headmaster Grimm too often." She responded, hugging her pillow tighter, thoughts racing.

"Never. Most parents are just so happy that their children are attending Ever After High, they'll bend over backwards to please Grimm. They don't care about what their children are learning, or that maybe some of them don't  _want_  to follow their destinies." Cerise grumbled, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Why is it so important that you follow your destinies?"

The girls shared a glance. "It's how the stories continue." Cedar replied. "We're the next generation of fairy tale characters, which means we have to keep the stories from closing."

Another eyebrow rose. "Closing?"

"If we don't follow our destinies, our books will close and we'll..." Cedar swallowed. "Disappear."

She snorted in derision, sitting up and setting her pillow aside. " _That_ ," She stood, going to her desk and pulling open a drawer. She dug around for several minutes before pulling out a small tin with a smile and shutting the drawer with her hip before making it back to the bed. "Is the most _ridiculous_  thing I've ever heard." She collapsed on the bed, making the other girls bounce, and opened the tin, setting it between the three of them. She pulled something out, before pushing the tin towards them.

"What are these?" Cerise asked, eyes narrowed.

"Sweets from this small confectioner's shop in one of the villages in my home country. The confectioner is a man I've known since I was a little girl, and he gave them to me before I left, so I'd have a taste of my homeland while away." She pushed the tin closer. "They're not poisoned, if that's what you're worried about." A moment passed, before Cedar took a piece, unwrapping the shiny paper from around the hard candy and popping it into her mouth. Cerise watched her in anticipation of something; she didn't fully trust this new girl- there was something she was hiding, something big. Granted, they'd only just met her, and she was probably being cautious around new people, but still. A look passed over Cedar's face, and the girl appeared to melt.

"Oh, oak, that's...fantastic!"

Raven giggled, removing the lollipop from between her teeth with a grin. "I told you. Best candy in all of Marberly." She stopped, eyes going wide, but neither girl noticed her slip. Cerise was tentatively surveying the various pieces of candy and chocolate, before she finally picked up a truffle wrapped in shiny silver paper. The other two watched as the girl slowly unwrapped it; the sweet scent of chocolate floated into the air, and after a moment, Cerise popped it into her mouth. The look on her face told Raven all she needed to know.

"But why are you sharing this with us? It's yours." Cedar asked, pushing the hard candy into her cheek as she spoke. The twist of lemon and raspberry once more hit her senses, and she shivered; those were two flavors that, on the surface, didn't seem to mix well. Cerise watched the other girl shrug, lollipop resting against her lower lip.

"My father taught me that the best way to break an awkward silence between new acquaintances is through something sweet, because no one can resist candy, not even the oldest adult. Sharing candy makes new acquaintances into old friends, as he always taught me."

"Candy breaks the ice." Cerise replied, licking the chocolate off her lips as she reached for another piece before stopping. The other girl nodded, pushing the tin closer to her. "Thanks." Cerise's whisper was soft as she reached into the tin, pulling out a hard candy wrapped in shiny yellow paper.


	4. Chapter 4

Once the door closed behind them, Raven returned to her side of the room, grabbing her laptop and settling back on her bed, among the pillows. As she opened her laptop and pulling up the feed for video chat, Cerise's words came rushing back to her.

_There was a girl from a kingdom to the south of Ever After that was the daughter of an 'Evil Queen', but she never showed up. Apple demanded that Headmaster Grimm order the girl to come, but the king put his foot down and told him that he wasn't going to send his daughter to a school where she had to become a villain to make another girl happy. He's the only parent to ever stand up to Headmaster Grimm._

As she waited for him to pick up, she shuddered. Could Cerise have been talking about her? Yes, Marberly was south of Ever After, but... but there were so many kingdoms south of Ever After, it could have been any one of them. But then again...

_Mom was known as the Evil Queen, before she was taken away._

"So, have you settled in, my little blackbird?" She looked up, so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized the call had gone through. Her father watched her, concern filling his gaze. "Raven, what's wrong?"

She felt a tiny smile tug at her lips, and after a moment, she sat up. "Nothing, Daddy."

"Raven, what is it?"

"I'm just tired. I met a couple girls who took me down to that tiny town we passed through today, and I wore myself out, that's all."

Her father raised and eyebrow, not believing it for a moment.  _"Raven."_

She sighed, pushing her laptop aside and folding her legs beneath her. "Cerise- one of the girls I met- told me about... about how my roommate has no... rival. She said that there was this girl who was supposed to come to Ever After High their freshman year, who was the daughter of an Evil Queen, but that when the Headmaster demanded she come, her father put his foot down and told them no." The look on her father's face changed, and Raven had the sinking suspicion she'd hit the nail on the head with her assumption. "The... Evil Queen was Mom, wasn't it? And... you're the king who stood up to Headmaster Grimm and told him no, and... I'm the girl, aren't I?"

"Raven-"

"Why didn't you tell me, Daddy?"

Her father sighed, sitting back in his chair. He watched as his daughter quickly undid her braid, tucking the strands that had escaped earlier behind her ears. "I didn't tell you because you were at Wanderley Prep and you were happy. I wasn't going to send you to Ever After High to learn how to be evil because you're not evil. You're kind and good and loving-"

"But I was always  _meant_  to take over Mom's destiny-" She cut him off, and he sat up.

"Now just wait a minute, Raven. You know that's not how it works in Marberly. We are not tied to the same constraints the other countries are. Destiny is just a word in Marberly, it's not something we actually follow-"

"But I followed _yours_ -"

"Because you were _always_  meant to take the throne, blackbird. It's been a  _long time_  since a queen has ruled Marberly, you know that."

_"Three hundred years exactly."_  Raven mono toned, having heard this since she was old enough to  _comprehend_  the importance of her birth. The majority of firstborn rulers in Marberly for the better part of three centuries had been male, with an occasional female being born first- but who was always overthrown and executed by her younger brother so he could take the throne, deeming it his right. By the time Raven had been born, it was just naturally assumed that any male would take the throne, regardless of birth order, and that any brothers she had would become next in line.

"By the time you were born, all of Marberly was holding its breath. If your mother and I had a son after, he would take your place as the next ruler, as it had been for three hundred years, despite the young queens who had taken power and then lost it as well as their lives to their younger brothers."

She sighed; she knew the history of her country, the blood battles between siblings that often resulted in innocent, female blood being shed. Marberly's history was nothing if not harsh to the female rulers of her line. The last queen to rule long and flourish had been Queen Avesa, a young woman who had been as ruthless as the majority of males in her family; Avesa, while still a mere girl of twelve, had had her six brothers executed in their sleep, so as to keep them from claiming the throne that was rightfully hers. At sixteen, she'd had her mother put to death for trying to start a rebellion against her, and kept her younger sister, Brynja, in a cage in the dungeons, so to prevent an uprising that could back the then ten-year-old girl. For all Avesa's blood lust, she'd done great things for Marberly- from expanding trade to demanding equal rights for women and starting schools for girls. She'd married the prince of a faraway land at twenty, bore ten children of her own- five daughters and five sons- before being overthrown by her husband at forty-nine, who then placed their oldest son, by then a boy of merely ten on the throne. Avesa had then been put the death, and her daughters had lived in fear for their own lives.

It had been Avesa's oldest son, Berengar, who had implemented the rule of putting all those of the female line to death, so that only men could rule. That had brought about the burnings, beheadings, and slaughters of many of the female line; for those who managed to escape and rule, their reigns were short; the shortest being that of a young woman named Odila, who, at just fourteen, had ruled Marberly for a mere four days before her younger brother Adelmar had her captured, taken out and burned at the stake. The famous Four-Day Queen of Marberly was now regarded as a saint among the religious of Marberly, the last sacrificial lamb in a slaughter that stretched back centuries.

"I was  _relieved_  when it was discovered you were going to be our only child, Raven. As much as I would have liked to have a son, I did not want one at the expense of my daughter's life."

"But that doesn't explain-"

"I was  _not_  going to send my only child to a school to become a villain just to make some spoiled, pampered little Ever After bitch happy." Raven started, she'd never heard her father use such language in regards to... anything. Or anyone. So engrossed in the conversation was she, that she didn't hear the door to her dorm unlock or swing open, nor the footsteps as someone stepped inside, having returned from spending the weekend home.

_"But you were still supposed to-"_

_"Ravenna! That is enough!"_  She straightened; it was very uncommon for her father to use her full name, but when he did, it was usually because she'd done or said something she shouldn't have. She barely registered the other person, for she knew it wasn't polite to break her attention while her father was speaking. It was bad protocol, when a subject was speaking, to let your attention wander, regardless of whether you were in court or out among the people.

"You were  _always_  meant to take over the throne of Marberly after I stepped down. I'd decided that before you were even born, before I even knew if I was going to be the father to a princess or a prince. Marberly has always been yours to rule, Raven." His voice softened. "Your mother and I decided on that before you were even born. _Marberly_  is your destiny; it has  _always_  been your destiny. Not playing some... two-bit part in some little girl's fairy tale."

It was the voice that stopped her from speaking next. "Who are you?"


	5. Chapter 5

She opened her mouth to reply, when her head instinctively snapped to the side. A girl no older than her stood in the doorway, long blonde hair tumbling down her back in waves, big blue eyes studying her with curiosity. She wore a red corseted dress with a skirt that puffed out, and a pair of red heels; an apple shaped purse hung from her wrist, and a small crown sat atop her head.

"I... I... Daddy... I've got to go. My roommate just got here." She turned back to her father, who nodded.

"All right. Take some time to get to know her. Oh, and before I forget. The Duke of Handoreli wishes to meet."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Again? He wishes to meet every week! What is it about this time?"

"Well, according to him, he was not satisfied with the terms you gave last time. Shall I patch you in?"

"No." She shook her head. "I'm coming home for this discussion. If the Duke of Handoreli wants to be a thorn in my side, he will be a thorn in my side when I am home, not when I'm miles upon miles away. I expect a car waiting for me Friday night, Daddy."

A soft chuckle. "Certainly, my little blackbird. I'll come fetch you myself."

"Thanks, Daddy."

"I love you, Raven."

She whispered it softly before her father ended the feed and she closed her laptop. Once she'd set it aside, she turned to the girl who had shut the door and now stood in the center of the room. An awkward silence settled between them, before Raven climbed off her bed, going to her desk. "You must be my roommate. Apple, was it?" She glanced at the blonde, who nodded.

"Headmaster Grimm told me I was getting a new roommate; I was hoping it would be the girl who's supposed to poison me-"

Raven whipped around, long black hair flying behind her. "I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not that girl. I have my own 'destiny' and it doesn't involve some twisted fairy tale."

The other girl, Apple, stood silent, studying this new girl she was sharing her room with. Long black hair tumbled down her back in waves, and she wore a dark purple dress that hit just above her knees. A simple silver thread pattern was along the skirt of the dress, and the dark purple corset of the dress cinched in her waist. The dark purple lace overlay that covered her shoulders and chest seemed to meld to her skin, acting almost as a wrap. She wore no crown, just a simple bracelet on her wrist, and a pair of black stockings on her legs. And sweet Granny Smith, she was pale, as though she'd never seen the sun at all in her short life. This... new girl... she had to be no older than Apple herself.

"I'm Apple White. I'm your new roommate." She held out her hand, and the girl glanced at it, before giving her a small smile. Raven wasn't used to taking other people's hands; she expected them to take hers. It was improper for a subject to reach for her and expect her to take their hand just because they wanted her too. It wasn't how things were done, not in Marberly. But then again, there were a lot of things here that probably were not done in Marberly, Raven would discover in time.

"Nice to meet you."

"Don't you have a name?" Apple asked, confused as to why the girl was acting so... strange. The other girl lifted her chin, meeting the blonde's gaze.

"If you must have a name, then I'm Ravenna of Marberly. But everyone calls me Raven."

"Raven." The word was foreign on Apple's tongue, as was the strange _Marberly_.  _Must be her home country. So she's not from Ever After; she's from somewhere else. A recent transfer?_  She watched her roommate as the other girl moved past, going to the full length mirror across the way and studying her features. She wracked her brain for any mention of Marberly, but came up empty. _She's foreign, that much is clear. Her accent is... strange. But she's pretty, really pretty. Really fair too; has she never been outside? She could be the fairest... but that's my destiny! To be the fairest in the all the land!_  "Um... where exactly is... Maberly?"

Raven turned back to her, violet gaze locking on the blonde. " _Mar_ berly. It's south of Ever After. I attended Wanderley Prep before coming here. My father thought it would be a good chance for me to see the world, have new experiences, _make new friends_." She rolled her eyes. "I didn't come here to make new friends, I came here to learn more advanced magic. Ever After High has some of the most advanced magic courses in the world-"

"You do magic?  _Black magic_?" Apple asked, latching onto that one word. Maybe this  _was_  the girl who was supposed to be her rival after all. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"I do magic. Grey magic, not black. I can do both, but I prefer to stick to grey. It's not as... out of control as black is. And it can be reigned in easier than white." She shrugged, conjuring a small ball of amethyst fire in her palm and rolling it back and forth between her hands; an old nervous habit of hers when she was stressed.

"Oh." Apple's excitement diminished slightly. "Well... what's your destiny?"

"Destiny?"

Apple nodded. "Mine is to be the next Snow White-"

"Oh, right." Raven rolled her yes. "I forgot, destiny is literal here." She licked her lips, thinking. "I don't have a destiny."

"What? But you've got to have a destiny! If you don't, your story will close and you'll disappear!"

"No it won't." She snorted softly. "Where I come from, destiny is just a word. It's not taken literally." The shocked and horrified look in Apple's eyes was enough to make her grin.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, while all the other students were sleeping before they had to get up and get ready for classes, Raven was wandering the halls in only her pajamas. It wasn't uncommon for the young queen to be up before dawn; she often slipped out of her chambers and made her way to the terrace on the west side of the castle so that she could watch the sunrise, in a tradition that had been started by her father when she was merely a toddler. It was a tradition she could not and would not break, even though she was now miles from her homeland.

Eventually, she came across a terrace, and slipping outside, she made her way to the bench; darkness enveloped her, darkness that would soon be replaced with the rise and splash of golden hues that would soon cover the land. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin in the crevice between them as she waited, becoming lost in thought.

Her encounter with Apple yesterday had been... interesting, to say the least. She'd been expecting a girl who  _looked_  the part of Snow White, not a blonde, blue-eyed... there weren't enough words in the Marberly language to describe the kinds of stupid Apple must be. And clearly, her mother wasn't much smarter, since she named her child after a _fruit_. Raven sighed; the girl was vain, that was certain. All her talk of destiny and books closing and disappearing...

Raven missed the intelligent conversations she'd have with Mira, or other ladies of the court; even the villagers had more brains than Apple White had. If that was what she had to live with for the rest of the year, she'd kill her before midterms. A sigh escaped her throat, and she lowered her legs, tugging a strand of hair over her shoulder and twirling it around her finger, becoming lost in thought.

"Mind if I join you?"

Her concentration broken, she looked up to find a boy not much older than herself standing beside the bench. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue pajamas, and he wore a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses. He waited, nervous. After a moment, she scooted to the side, giving him room, and slowly, he joined her. They lapsed into silence for several minutes before he finally spoke.

"I don't think I've seen you around Ever After High before. Are you new?" She nodded, glancing at him. "Oh. That's nice. Where are you from?"

She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. "Ah... I transferred from Wanderley Prep. My father thought it would be a good chance for me to experience a different... culture." He nodded, brow furrowing before he let her strange wording slide.

"I'm Dexter, by the way. Dexter Charming."

She started, surprise filling her gaze, before a soft chuckle escaped her throat. "Charming? Really? Like Prince Charming from the fairy tale?" She laughed, before realizing he wasn't laughing with her. "Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't think you were-"

"No, no, it's okay. You're the first person who's actually reacted... well, normal, I guess. Most of the time I just get standoffish looks- you know, since I'm the second-born son and technically don't have a destiny, not like my brother, Daring."

_"Daring?"_  She couldn't stop herself this time, and she didn't try to. The boy, Dexter, watched with a small smile on his features, glad he could make someone smile, as opposed to the annoyed looks he often got. Even if this girl was new and a complete stranger, it was better than nothing. She didn't seem to believe him when he mentioned Daring, and there was something oddly refreshing about that. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh, I just... some of these names... Apple... Daring... what's next? A giant named Tiny?"

"Yeah." He nodded, and she stopped, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"You're kidding! I was being sarcastic!"

"No, there really is a giant named Tiny attending Ever After High."

She bit her lip, turning back to watch as the sun slowly rose over the mountains, bathing the world in hues of gold, peach and orange. The two settled in silence for several minutes before she finally spoke. "I didn't mean to intrude. I just... back home, every morning, I get up to watch the sunrise. I just kind of stumbled upon this terrace. I didn't meant to take it away from you."

He shook his head. "It's fine. I'm usually up here by now, but I had a difficult time getting up this morning." He glanced at her, unsure of how to ask. "You must be the new student everyone's been talking about." She met his gaze. "I passed by Cedar and Cerise yesterday afternoon, and they were talking about this new girl they'd met- said they'd taken her down to Bookend and promised to give her a true tour of the school after classes today."

"Yep, that's... me." She blushed, holding out a hand. She wasn't expecting the boy to know what to do, and was pleasantly surprised when he gently cradled his fingers in his hand and brushed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I'm Raven."

"Nice to meet you, Raven." He whispered, meeting her gaze before pulling away. Her blush deepened, and she quickly averted her gaze, turning back to the sunrise. They sat in silence for several minutes, before Dexter leaned over. "This is the best place in the whole school to watch the sunrise and sunset, you know."

She shook her head. "So I guess I stumbled upon a good spot then?"

He met her gaze. "Absolutely." They lapsed into silence once again, before Dexter finally stood. "I'll see you in class, I guess."

"Not until Wednesday. I was given a couple days to get acquainted with the school." He nodded, rocking back on his heels as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, if you ever want a tour of the grounds, I'm always around."

She smiled at him, and it made him blush. "Thank you." And without another word, he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

She returned to the dorm not long after the boy left, slipping inside and quickly getting dressed so as not to wake her roommate. Grabbing her heels and her clutch, she tiptoed out of the room and shut the door softly behind her, before stopping and slipping into her heels. The dark blue of the wraparound dress she'd chosen complimented her pale skin perfectly, and she tucked a loose strand back behind her ear. She'd hastily pulled her hair back into a twist, securing it with a bobby pin before grabbing the matching blue hat with the white rose and pinning it to her hair.

It wasn't uncommon for the royals of Marberly to dress up when they went out to see the people, but here, in Ever After...

Well, some habits were hard to break.

As the former Crown Princess and current Queen of Marberly, Raven had spent her childhood attending formal gatherings and standing patiently for pictures. She had grown up knowing the protocol of the court; how she was never to be seen without a clutch in her hand or a hat or headband on her head. Though young, she was the rule of her country, and she couldn't allow others to see her weak. Her father had raised her to always keep a brave face, for she was a queen.

So that was how she found herself striding through the soon-to-be-flooded halls of Ever After High, clutch in hand, hat on her head, heels clicking down the marble floors, as she headed for the castleteria. It was quiet enough and empty enough that maybe she could get something to eat and enjoy her breakfast without being disturbed.

With a soft nod to the lunch ladies, she grabbed a tray, surveying the choices, before finally selecting an omelet and a bowl of fruit. She softly and politely asked for a cup of tea, and after paying, thanked them with a soft nod before making her way across the room to a table by the window. She wasn't expecting anyone else to be up at this hour, and furrowed a brow when she noticed Cerise sitting at the table she was making her way towards. She stopped, a moment of indecision coming over her.

"Mind if I sit?" The other girl looked up, surprised to find the new girl standing by the table. Cerise gestured to the empty space across from her.

"You're up early."

"So are you." Raven replied, taking a seat. The other girl tugged her hood closer around her ears, and Raven furrowed a brow. "If you don't mind my asking, but... what fairy tale are you?"

"Little Red Riding Hood."

"Oh." Raven nodded, suddenly seeing it now, the red cloak should have been a dead giveaway.

"So, how was your first night rooming with Apple White?" Cerise asked, watching as Raven cut into her omelet. The other girl swallowed her bite before,

"It was... interesting. She kept going on and on about destiny and how it was horrible that I don't have one and that she was hoping I was the girl who would poison her. Eventually, I just tuned her out. I think she fell asleep after that, but I'm not entirely sure. I had my headphones in at that point, and honestly, I couldn't have cared less."

Cerise snorted, rolling her eyes. "Sounds like Apple White. Destiny is the most important thing to her, after all." Raven stopped, watching as Cerise bit into her steak and eggs. A moment passed, before Raven finally spoke again.

"I met a boy this morning."

Cerise stopped, mid-bite. "This morning? How?"

"I was looking for a place to watch the sunrise, and I came across this terrace. This boy showed up not long after, said his name is Dexter Charming."

"You met Dexter Charming?" Raven nodded. "And he talked to you?" Another nod. "He actually talked to you?"

"Why is that such a surprise?"

"Because it's Dexter. He never talks to anyone, not of the female variety, anyway. He stammers and stutters worse than Hopper."

Raven raised an eyebrow.  _Hopper? Who in the world was Hopper? And more importantly, who would name their child Hopper? Where did the parents come up with these names? Hopper, Daring, Apple... were they all brain dead by the time they had kids?_  "Um... Hopper?"

"Hopper Croakington II. Son of the Frog Prince." Raven bit her lip. "Go ahead, laugh. Best to do it now before you actually meet him. He's... sensitive about his destiny." Raven snickered, and Cerise couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. Though she was only just getting to know this girl, she liked her. Raven was  _just enough_  removed from everything and everyone that she wasn't tainted by the same brush as the others at Ever After High. She could speak her mind and not be criticized for it because no one knew her. Eventually, they returned to breakfast, lapsing into silence for several minutes, just as other students began to enter for breakfast.

Raven stopped cutting into her omelet, upon hearing the voices; excited questions about who she was and where she came from. Slowly, she looked up, to find several students watching her, whispering between her. She set her knife and fork down, and pushed her plate away, folding her arms on the table.

"What's wrong?"

"Please tell me I'm not imagining it- that I'm the object of everyone's attention."

Cerise glanced around, and it was then that she realized that Raven was indeed the object of everyone's attention. "You are. And that's a problem?"

"I came here so I could learn more advanced magic, not so I could be gawked at like some sort of... circus side show." Raven whispered, feeling her fingers begin to tingle. She was starting to get agitated, and so forced herself to take a deep breath. All she wanted, was a few minutes where she didn't have to be the object of everyone's attention, where she could enjoy a meal with a girl she hoped would become a friend, and be treated normal, not like the mysterious stranger everyone seemed so fascinated by.

"Just ignore them; they'll quit eventually."

Raven met Cerise's dark eyes. "No, they won't. I know people like them. I've been around them my entire life. I asked for privacy when I came here, but do I get it? No." She reached for her cup, but stopped, noticing the glimmer of amethyst on the ends of her fingers. Cerise's brow furrowed, and after a moment, Raven stood, pushing her chair back. She grabbed her clutch and glanced around, trying desperately to catch her breath. "Good to see you again, Cerise. See you in class."

And without another word, Raven strode across the castleteria, out the nearest exit, in search of somewhere she could be alone so she could calm down and get her anxiety and her magic under control.


	8. Chapter 8

She had managed to escape back to her dorm. After quickly checking that Apple had gotten up and was gone, she slipped inside, shutting the door softly behind her. Once safely behind the walls of her dorm room, she made her way to her bed and slipped out of her heels, removing her hat and laying back among her pillows. She'd wait until classes had started before venturing out of her dorm again. Normally, she wasn't so... anti-social, but here, in this strange school, in this strange land...

She couldn't make heads nor tails of everything.

She just needed a few moments alone; time to get her thoughts in order and to make sure her magic had come back under her control. It was situations like the one earlier that often sent her magic into uncontrolled chaos. As one of the youngest queens Marberly had ever had, Raven still had a lot to learn, not just about ruling a country, but about controlling her magic.

And while her father could teach her about ruling a country, when it came to the magic...

_I really, really, really wish you were still here, Mom._

She choked on a sob, shifting onto her side to face the window. She loved her father, she really did, but there were just certain things he couldn't help her help her understand- her first period, that awkwardness that were boys, her wedding, pregnancy and childbirth, and, perhaps most importantly for every Marberly royal- magic. For magic had been in the Marberly bloodline since the beginning of time; always carried through the female line, the witches of the Marberly royal family were perhaps the most powerful of any witch ever encountered. And that wasn't counting the countless princesses that had been put to death during the three hundred years of Blood Wars, as those in Marberly called the period where Marberly princesses were put to death simply for being female. God only knew the magical potential cut short in those three hundred years.

As things stood now, Raven was considered the last of her line; were she to one day die without an heir, her kingdom would be thrown into chaos, for Marberly had known nothing but monarchy since its creation. So she had gone to Wanderley Prep, to not only learn the ways of ruling more in-depth, but to gain better control of her magic, for a good many of the nobility possessed magic, though none as strong as Raven's. It was the reason she was at Ever After High- to learn more advanced magic so that she could learn to reign her own in.

Her gaze wandered to the window, and after a moment, she sighed. She was being ridiculous, but really, could anyone blame her? It wasn't so much the fact that she was new, but more the fact that the whispers had been following her since she arrived yesterday, and she wasn't used to it. Raven hadn't spent a lot of time around people he own age, so she didn't know how to act around them, and as the ruling Queen of Marberly, she wasn't exactly sure who she could trust and who she couldn't.

_"You have to get over it sometime, blackbird."_  She sighed, hearing her father's words loud and clear in her head, and after a moment, she shifted onto her back.

"I know, Daddy, but it's hard. I've never been away from home this long. I miss Marberly. I wish I'd never come. I want to go home."

_"Things will get easier. Now, promise me that you'll at least try to be social and make friends. This year will be a lot easier to get through if you have friends."_

She sighed, knowing that her father's famous logic was right; it was the same argument they'd had before she left; she'd begged him to allow her to stay, and he'd informed her that it would be good for her to see the world outside of Marberly. That she could always return, but that she needed to experience the world before resigning herself to the throne. That he could hold down the fort while she was away.

A moment passed, before she pushed herself up, knowing that her father had been right. If she had friends, this who adjustment would be a lot easier to handle. After a moment, she got up, slipping back into her heels and grabbing her clutch. She pinned her hat back onto her head after fixing her twist and went to the door, pulling it open, only to find Cerise on the other side, hand raised to knock. "Oh. Hi."

Cerise blushed, embarrassed at having been caught, and quickly lowered her hand, reaching down to scratch her arm. "Hi. I just... went looking for you. I... wanted to check on you. Make sure you were okay." Raven nodded, biting her lip.

A moment passed before Raven stepped back, allowing the girl entrance. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"I have a free period." Cerise replied, stepping into the dorm. Raven nodded, making her way back to her bed as Cerise shut the door softly behind her. "So... are you okay?" She watched the other girl take a seat on the edge of the bed, hands twisting her skirt.

"It's... it's just so... overwhelming." She struggled to keep the tears at bay. "I... I've never lived this far from my homeland before... and with everyone staring at me and whispering... I get that I'm the new girl, but... but I'm not something to gawk at. I understand that to all of you, I'm foreign and strange and... and mysterious, but... I just want to be treated normally. I'll be here for a year; I can't be the new girl forever."

Slowly, Cerise joined her, sitting beside her on the bed. "They don't know you. So to them, you're... this... strange, shiny new toy to play with and they don't know how to handle it. Most of the students that come here are from Ever After, maybe a few of the surrounding lands, but... but we've never had anyone from the south attend. Not as far away as you come from."

Raven sniffled, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist, the one her mother had given her before she was taken away. "You're homesick." Cerise whispered, suddenly realizing why the girl was acting so... closed off. Slowly, Raven nodded, reaching up to brush at the tears on her cheeks. "You really never have been this far from home, have you?"

A shake of the head. "No. My family... we would... visit other dignitaries in other countries, but... but those were state visits. Nothing like this."

Cerise raised an eyebrow.  _State visits? So her family must have some connection to royalty. Maybe a noble or something._  "Is this your... first time living away from home?"

Another nod. Without a word, the future Red Riding Hood pulled the other girl into her arms, as Raven finally let her homesickness through. After several minutes, slender white arms slid around the other girl's shoulders, and Raven buried her face in Cerise's cloak. Though she didn't know this girl very well, this was what she needed- just someone there, willing to listen and let her cry.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I don't think Zani was too happy with how this chapter turned out, but I can't find any rewrites for it. - Licia

Eventually, Raven's sobs stopped and her tears slowed. She slowly pulled away from Cerise, giving her a watery smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to-"

The other girl waved it away. "You've been hit with a lot in the last couple of days. It's fine. I'd probably do the same thing in your shoes." Raven grinned softly, before taking a deep breath.

"I just... I've never left Marberly before, not for this long-"

"Marberly? Is that your homeland?" Raven nodded, fully aware of her slip, and not caring. Cerise had obviously never heard of her country, from the question and curious look on her face, and after a moment, Raven stood, going to the window. "What's it like?"

She sighed, thinking of her home country; of the lush, rolling hills and tiny villages that dotted the countryside, of the growing cities with their beautiful mixture of modern and vintage. How trade and commerce were the main means of income for the country; she chuckled, thinking of how Ever After and the surrounding kingdoms all got their silks, lumber and seafood from Marberly, because part of her was near the coast, and they didn't even realize it.

"Beautiful." Raven whispered, gaze locking on the horizon that stretched out before her window. A moment passed, before Cerise got up, joining her. The two girls stood in silence before Cerise spoke up.

"Come on. Let me give you a tour of the grounds."

Raven turned to her, surprised. "Don't you have class in an hour?"

Cerise shrugged. "I can afford to skip a day, especially if I'm giving the new student a tour so that she can get acquainted with the school." Cerise linked her arm through Raven's after the girl slipped back into her heels and grabbed her clutch. "Why do you carry that?"

Raven glanced at her clutch, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I was raised to always have something in my hands when I go out in public. The media is always watching, after all."

The other girl raised an eyebrow as they left the dorm and Raven quickly locked the door. "What are you, the daughter of a noble or something?"

Raven chuckled softly. "Or something." She replied, slipping her arm through Cerise's again as they made their way down the hall. Classes were just coming to an end, and slowly, the classrooms began to empty. Cerise tightened her hold on Raven's arm, not wanting to lose the new girl in the chaos that was changing classes.

"Have you been assigned your locker yet?"

The other girl nodded, opening her clutch and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "Number... four-fifteen."

"You're right next to Maddie, and three lockers away from Ashlynn."

"Maddie? Ashlynn?"

"Madeline Hatter and Ashlynn Ella. The Mad Hatter's daughter and the daughter of Cinderella, respectfully."

"Oh." Without a word, Cerise led her down the hall; they stopped in front of said locker, and after a moment, Raven pulled away from the girl, taking the lock and quickly working the combination. The locker was bare, but in time, it would be filled with books and other items to give it a personal touch. Raven's gaze wandered over the space slowly. At Wanderley Prep, the lockers had been shared between roommates- something that would never happen here. A moment passed, before she closed the locker softly, only to find Headmaster Grimm making his way towards her from his office nor far away, as students flooded out into the halls. Not far away, she saw the boy she'd spoken with earlier- Dexter, if she remembered right- in conversation with Cedar and another student as they made their way in her direction.

"Ah, there you are, Your Majesty." She froze, as a defining silence settled about the hall. Heads turned towards them, and Raven tensed, twisting her clutch in her hands.

"Your Majesty?" Cerise raised an eyebrow, and Raven turned to the girl- the first person she met, who she hoped had become her friend- with a look of sheepish unease.

"I-"

"I trust you've started making yourself at home here at Ever After High. While it's not uncommon for us to host royalty, to host a royal from the south, especially a young ruler such as yourself-"

"Ruler?" Cedar asked, stopping at her locker; Dexter glanced at the other boy, who shrugged, just as confused.

"Well, I... I was just... just getting to know the school. Cerise here offered to give me a tour." She replied, linking her arm through the other girl's, who turned to her, brow furrowed in confusion, a glimmer of distrust in her dark eyes.

"Good. Of course, if you'd like a more in-depth tour, I can give you one mysel-"

"That won't be necessary, Headmaster, thank you though."

"Wait a minute. Hold up." Cerise pulled away from Raven, voice raising. She now had the attention of a quarter of the school, at least, and turned to Raven, who dug her nails into the fabric of her clutch, feeling her anxiety begin to rise and her fingertips begin to tingle. "I thought your name was  _Raven_ , and that you come from a place called  _Marberly_ -"

"I do." Raven's whisper was so soft, it almost wasn't caught, but it was so silent in the hall, that everyone heard it.

"Then why is Headmaster Grimm calling you 'Your Majesty? What are you, a lady? A countess or a duchess or something?"

"No." Again, another soft reply.

"A countess or a duchess?" Headmaster Grimm chuckled softly. "Oh, my dear Miss Hood, you could not be further from the truth."

Raven wrapped her arms around herself, ducking her head and taking a deep breath. The truth was bound to come out sooner or later; she might as well get it over with. The few friends she'd managed to make would probably want nothing to do with her now.

"Then explain it to me, Headmaster. Why do you keep calling Raven 'Your Majesty'? And... and... who  _are_  you?" The future Red Riding Hood asked, turning back to the girl she'd grown fond of over the last day or so.

"Because, Miss Hood, you are in the presence of royalty."

"I'm in the 'presence' of royalty every day, Headmaster." Cerise shot back. "This school is filled with princes and princesses!"

"But Raven is no mere princess, Miss Hood."

"Who is she then?" Cedar asked, as confused as everyone else. Headmaster Grimm smiled at the young wooden girl, before turning back to his new charge. He bowed low with a graceful flourish, befitting any noble of her homeland.

"Everyone calls me Raven." It was the only thing the anxious girl could think to say, in hopes of reminding those she had hoped to consider friends who she'd presented herself as, who she wanted to be here.

"What's your  _real_  name?" Cerise asked, crossing her arms over her chest, annoyed with this farce. The girl in question reached up, tucking a wayward strand of black hair behind her ear. She tightened her grip on her clutch and stepped back, suddenly exceedingly self-conscious. How had things gone so... downhill? A moment passed, before she released the breath she'd been holding and spoke.

"My... my real name is... Ravenna. And... and I'm... the current Queen of Marberly."


	10. Chapter 10

It was the never-ending rebound of silence that followed her quiet declaration. Many students had looks of shock on their faces; Cerise, Cedar, Dexter and Apple among them. Others whispered behind their hands, casting sidelong glances at her; some shied away and others stepped closer. Under all this scrutiny, Raven felt even more self conscious than she had earlier in the castleteria. She could feel her magic begin to make her fingers tingle, and she cast a quick glance down; the ends of her fingers were starting to glow, and she buried them deeper in the material of the clutch in her hands.

"You're... you're a... a queen? Like a... a real...  _live_  queen?" Cerise asked, and Raven swallowed thickly, nodding as she turned to the other girl, voice soft.

"Yes." And then, with tears in her eyes, she turned and strode through the crowd, which instantly parted for her, all falling into a quick bow or curtsy as they did so. Raven stopped, seeing them, before picking up her pace and hurrying back to her dorm. Once safely behind the closed door, she kicked off her heels, grabbed her laptop, and, curling up on her bed, pillow in hand, called her father.

After the third ring, he picked up. "Ah, Raven-"

"They know, Daddy. The _entire_  school  _knows._ "

Her father was taken aback, surprised to find his beloved daughter curled up on her bed in tears. "Ah- Raven, what... what happened? Talk to me."

She took a deep breath. "Head... Headmaster Grimm caught me just as everyone was coming out of class. Another student was giving me a tour, and... and he let it slip that... that..." She hiccuped; her fingers glowed, and her father sighed. She had to get control of her emotions, and therefore, her magic, before she did something she'd regret. "That I'm... Queen of Marberly. I didn't want to be known as the queen here, I just want to be known as  _me_."

"Raven, honey, listen to me.  _Ravenna!_ " She hiccuped, trying to quiet her sobs. She hadn't wanted to come to this school in the first place; she was perfectly happy ruling Marberly. She had hoped, by agreeing to attend Ever After High, that she could pass as an ordinary student, there to study magic and see something of the world outside of her country. If only she hadn't been born royal...

"I'm sure Headmaster Grimm didn't mean to let it slip. It was probably just an honest mistake-"

"Honest mistake or not, the few people I've gotten to know don't want anything to do with me. They think I lied to them-"

"Are you sure about that?" The girl paused, reaching up to wipe a tear away.

"I-"

"Did you ask them?"

"Well,  _no,_  but... but they were all horrified-"

"Or maybe, they were stunned that you were keeping such a huge secret from them?"

"It doesn't matter, Daddy. I wanted them to like me for  _me,_  not because I'm... queen of some faraway country."

He sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Raven, you're always going to be a queen. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always be Queen of Marberly. Nothing will change that. And you need to understand that it's part of who you are. You  _are_  Queen of Marberly. But you are  _also_  Ravenna, my beloved daughter, who I love more than life itself. You are both those things and so much more, and you cannot be stuck on one thing or another. You will never grow or discover who you are if you remain fixed on those two things. I sent you to Ever After High in hopes that you would discover yourself while there, my little blackbird. Marberly was holding you back; I sent you to Ever After High so you could find your true self before you came home to continue your rule."

She sat back among the pillows, shoulders deflating. On the one hand, her father had a point. But on the other...

"I know who I am, Daddy-"

"Ravenna, you're  _seventeen. No_  seventeen-year-old knows who they are, queen or commoner. It's all part of growing up, and you need to learn that. You need to let yourself make mistakes and have fun and make friends and fall in love. You need to experience life before you return home. Attending Ever After High will help."

The girl sighed with a sniffle. She turned her gaze to the window, becoming lost in the blue of the sky outside. Had it always been this blue? She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone outside and looked up at the blueness of the sky, watched the clouds drift by at a lackadaisical pace. "But... Daddy..." She turned back to her father. "No one will accept me now. Not now that they know the truth."

"Does that really matter, blackbird?" He asked, studying her. He knew she was taking this separation hard; that she had never been away from him or Marberly for very long, and certainly not alone like she was. Raven was definitely her father's daughter; kind, selfless, loyal to a fault, always willing to see the good in people. She was the 'Good King's daughter in every way. "If they like you, they'll like you for _you_ , not because of your status."

Raven sniffled, knowing her father had a point. But still, it hurt, her secret being outed as it had been. She'd hoped to get through the year without anyone ever finding out... or, at least, only suspecting. But now-

"Can't I come home?"

Her father sighed softly. "There will be a car waiting for you Friday after your last class. The duke wishes to speak with you, remember?" She nodded, more relieved to be going home- even if only for a couple days- than for her meeting with the duke. "Until then, hang in there. And remember that I love you, my little blackbird."

She smiled softly. "I love you, too, Daddy."

Without another word, the call ended, and she shut the laptop, curling onto her side, hugging the pillow closer to her, her father's words echoing in her head.

_"You're seventeen. No seventeen-year-old knows who they are. It's all part of growing up. Let yourself make mistakes, have fun, make friends, fall in love. Experience life before you return home. Ever After High will help."_

As she closed her eyes and buried her face in her pillow, she tried to tell herself that her father was right. She needed to stop worrying about everyone else and focus on experiencing life while she was here.

If only things were that simple.


	11. Chapter 11

She awoke the next morning an hour before dawn, having slept through the better part of the day before. As her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, she turned; Apple's form could be seen beneath the covers of her bed, and very unladylike snoring could be heard.

Apple. Right.

Not that she and her new roommate had gotten along in the last day and a half- they avoided each other as best they could, especially since Apple was pouting over the fact that Raven was _not_  there to poison her, and it was making Raven increasingly uneasey to be around the blonde. She had taken to going for a walk around campus late at night, slipping back into the room and going to bed, well after everyone else was asleep. Being careful, she got up, slipping out of the room and making her way to the terrace she'd found the morning before.

She liked the darkness, the quiet, the solitude. It was something she rarely got at home, having been in the public eye for the majority of her exceedingly short life. From the moment she was born, Raven had been the center of Marberly's world; as the Crown Princess, she had been expected to be on her best behavior at all times, though her parents had tried to give her as normal a childhood as was possible in their land, and she remembered the few times when her parents would take her to run and play in the palace gardens as a little girl. As she'd gotten older, Raven had turned to books, and music and her magic, learning all she could on her own before turning to the professors at Wanderley for guidance.

After her father had stepped down in favor of her, things had changed. Raven was surrounded by people- advisers, courtiers, visiting dignitaries- with very little time to herself. Though her father and Mira tried their hardest to take away some of the weight that rested on her shoulders, and for that she was grateful, but it never seemed to be enough time. So early in the morning, she would get up, go outside, and wait for the sunrise, enjoying the solitude and peace she was able to steal in the east gardens, with its thick stone walls heavy with hanging ivy, its marble statues of Marberly's gods and goddesses, the small stream that cut through, and the wooden swing- the very swing her mother had fallen from the night she was born.

Raven curled up on the stone bench, pulling her knees to her chest, her gaze moving to watch the stars that twinkled overhead. She knew the stories by heart; how her mother, with only three months to go before her child was born, had gone out to the east gardens to enjoy the sunshine and some alone time, how something had happened, and she'd fallen from the swing, sending her into early labor, and the frantic rush to save both her and the baby, who had been born too son. Maybe that was why everyone kept such a close eye on Raven- she shouldn't have lived, being born so early, but she had. She was Marberly's miracle, and everyone doted on her, even now, seventeen years later.

A deep sigh escaped her, and she rested her head on her knees, becoming lost in her thoughts.  _I should have been honest from the beginning, instead of trying to hide it. They would have found out eventually, if not from Headmaster Grimm, then from someone else._

Footsteps caused her to lift her head, and she turned, to find someone making their way towards her. She lowered one leg, tucking the other beneath her, foot swinging as the person made their way towards her. She tensed. It was the boy from yesterday- Dexter. Her violet gaze darted towards his for the briefest of moments, before she got up, moving to leave.

She didn't get very far.

Unaware of how close he'd gotten, his hand on her wrist stopped her, and slowly, she turned to face him. "I'm sorry." She whispered, turning her head, waiting for his harsh words, the bite in his tone.

"It's okay." She started, surprised at the gentleness of his tone, that her head snapped back to meet his gaze, her own eyes wide. He studied her silently, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. "I understand why you did it."

Her brow knit together, she took a moment to gather her thoughts before, "You do?"

He nodded, taking a seat and releasing her wrist, taking the warmth of his skin against hers away. "You didn't want anyone to know."

She looked down at her feet, suddenly fascinated by the fact that she was barefoot, and nodded once.  _Give the boy a prize!_

"You don't... like being the center of attention, do you?"

She shook her head. "Not particularly."

"And yet... you're... the queen of a country. You're the center of attention all the time."

"Not by choice, trust me." Came her whispered reply.

"So... if you don't like being the center of attention, then... why did you take the throne?"

She started, now completely surprised. No one had ever asked her that before; she'd never considered it before. She knew the motivations behind taking the throne, the reasons, but she'd never dared list them out loud. A moment passed, before she finally spoke. "My father abdicated in favor of me. I have no siblings, no brothers to steal my throne; I'm the last of the Marberly women, the last of the Marberly witches in my line. If I didn't take the throne when my father stepped down, the country would have gone into chaos, just as it might if I don't produce an heir when the time comes. Marberly has never been anything other than a monarchy; she knows nothing else. I couldn't let that happen. I love Marberly too much to let her fall into chaos by walking away from what's rightfully mine."

She spoke with quiet conviction and understanding of the choices she'd made, but beneath all of that, was the hint of pain and hurt, the longing to be a normal girl. She didn't understand why she was pouring her heart out to this boy, a complete stranger in more ways that one, but it was nice to talk to someone who knew nothing about her home country her. A moment passed, before she slowly lowered herself onto the bench, tucking her legs together, ankles crossing. Her hands fell into her lap, and she became lost in the darkness that was slowly fading around them.

Dexter studied her, this new girl, this young queen. She spoke with a wisdom beyond her years, but looked so much younger than she was. It was as if the weight of the world had settled upon her shoulders, and she couldn't figure out how to dislodge herself from it. The worry in her brow, the soft frown that tugged at her lips, the fear in her violet eyes... it was something he knew well.

Failure.

She was terrified of failing. Terrified of not being good enough, adequate enough as a ruler, of not doing right by her people. That she would never measure up to those who came before her. A moment passed, before he reached over, gently laying a hand over hers. She looked up, her gaze darting down to their hands, as the first hues of the sunrise slowly splashed across their faces, bathing them in weak golden light. A moment passed, tense and uneasy, before she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. He gave her the barest of smiles, squeezing her hand gently, in a gesture of understanding and empathy. He, as the second-born son of the Charmings, understood her fears completely; understood the panic of not measuring up to others' ideals of who they should be.

He understood, and tried to quell her fears, even slightly, in a gesture of quiet solidarity.

_You are not alone._


	12. Chapter 12

"Dexter?"

He met her gaze, waiting. She bit her lip. After watching the sunrise, he'd walked her back to her dorm, as any gentleman would. Though she protested internally, it was nice to have someone treat her like a normal human being, instead of a queen. For a few fleeting moments, she was a normal girl, without a kingdom to rule, a country to guide, a people to protect. She was just a seventeen-year-old girl, being escorted back to her dorm by a boy.

"Thank you."

Two simple words, but they held all the importance in the world at that moment.

Thank you for being there. Thank you for listening. Thank you for not judging me, or asking me why I hid it. Thank you for giving me your support. Thank you... for treating me normally.

He nodded, bowing quickly in response. "No problem, Your Majesty."

She quickly looked around, but it was quiet, the halls deserted except for them. "Please. Just Raven."

As soon as he straightened, he nodded once. "Okay, just Raven."

A smile tugged at her lips, and she blushed, covering her face with her hands as he grinned, pleased that he'd managed to make her smile, even if only for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't think of a thing to say.

"Have a good day, Raven." She nodded, watching as he turned to go. But not a foot away, he turned back, biting his lip. "Would... would you like to sit with me? I mean... in the castleteria. I mean... breakfast. I... no, I don't mean... well, yes, I do... I..."

"I'd like that," She whispered, giggling softly as he stumbled over his words, adjusting his glasses nervously. "I'd love to sit with you at breakfast, Dexter."

"You  _would_?" He stared at her, incredulous. She nodded, a small smile making her pretty features even prettier. "That... that's gort!"

One slender black eyebrow rose in confusion.  _Gort? I know people up north are... strange, but this..._

"Great! I meant great! I don't even know what 'gort' means..." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, an awkward blush coloring his cheeks. She giggled softly, before pulling the door to her dorm open.

"I'll see you later, then." And with a soft nod, she was gone, the door to her dorm closing.

Once the door was closed, she leaned against it, releasing a soft breath. Apple still snored beneath her covers, and quietly, Raven moved towards her bed, climbing back beneath the dark purple covers, eyes closing. But sleep didn't come, and wouldn't come. She ended up laying in bed for the next hour, staring at the ceiling, trying to ignore Apple's snoring, her mind racing in circles, but always returning to that moment on the terrace.

And Dexter.

He understood. He hadn't said a word, simply reached out and took her hand, and he'd  _understood_. Understood the fear she felt at becoming a failure, understood the worry that she never measured up to those who came before her, understood that she was just a girl, a teenager with the weight of the world, the hopes of a country, and the dreams of a people resting upon her slender shoulders. This boy, this... prince from somewhere in Ever After, had listened to her talk and instead of dismissing her,  _understood_. Did he even understand the gift he'd given her?

After an hour of laying in bed, she got up, quickly changing out of her pajamas into a dark green, short-sleeved dress with a bateau neckline that came to her knees. A simple pair of black heels and a matching green clutch completed the look; she swept her long black hair up into a high ponytail, small tendrils that didn't quite reach the base of the ponytail hung down, clinging to her cheeks and forehead. Once her ponytail had been tightened, she slipped out of the room, heading for the castleteria.

Like the day before, it was quiet, nearly empty, save for a couple students. She realized that she should have asked Dexter what time to meet-

Her gaze locked on Cerise, at the same table they'd sat at the day before. After buying a cup of tea, she made her way over to the girl, stopping beside it with a soft clearing of her throat. The other girl lifted her gaze quickly before returning it to her plate. "Mind if I sit?"

An awkward silence fell, before,

"Go ahead. But don't expect me to get up and curtsy for you, Your Majesty."

Raven winced; she understood why Cerise was hurt, she really did. She'd lied to her for two days- planned on never  _actually_  saying anything about her real identity- and then never given an explanation as to  _why_  she'd lied. Granted, most would say that she didn't owe the girl any form of explanation, but Raven felt that she did. She thought she was becoming friends with this girl, that she would have a girlfriend or two to hang out with in between classes and on school breaks, to go shopping with or get coffee with- something she'd never really had. Sure, Mira was her best friend, would always be her best friend, but there was that silent understanding between the two girls that hanging out was strictly frowned upon, unless Raven had no meetings or other duties to attend to. But those times were few and far between at the best of times, and Mira kept her distance- as much as was allowed, being Raven's adviser. But to have an  _actual_  girlfriend...

She wanted what other girls at Wanderley had had; late nights gossiping about boys or fashion, getting ready for parties, looking for advice on dating, sharing secrets-

A twinge of guilt cut through her heart. If she had considered Cerise any kind of friend at all, she would have told her- and Cedar- as soon as she'd met them, instead of hiding it away. But she'd been so overwhelmed, so afraid of what the reaction would be, that she'd kept her mouth shut. She deserved the cold shoulder Cerise was giving her, and a hell of a lot more from everyone else, for the secret she'd kept.

"I don't expect anything, Cerise. And you have every right to be mad at me."

The future Red Riding Hood sat back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I wouldn't have outed you, if that's what you were worried about." Raven sighed, taking a seat across from the girl. She wrapped her hands around the mug, breathing in the mint from her tea. "I would have asked a thousand questions, but I would have kept your secret."

"You treated me normal." Raven whispered. "Like I was just another girl. And not... not some... freak to be gawked at or whispered about. I guess... I was... afraid that if you knew... that you'd... stop treating me normally."

"I'm not that type of person." Cerise growled, and Raven swallowed.

"I kind of guessed that." The girls sat in silence for several minutes, before Raven continued. "I'm really, really sorry, Cerise. I know it doesn't make up for it, but..." She stopped, shrugging as Cerise spoke up.

"Why is it so _important_  to you that you hide it?"

The other girl shrugged. "I've been... doted on my entire life. I've never had a chance to be a normal girl. I guess... if I hide it, then... then maybe for a few hours, I can..." She sighed. "I can forget. Forget that I'm  _solely_  responsible for the health and well being of my people and my country. That... a million people's hopes and dreams and fears don't rest on my shoulders. That I'm... that I'm just... seventeen."

"You want to be normal." Raven nodded, and Cerise pulled her hood down lower, until it covered her eyes.

"I know it's a horrible excuse, for keeping a secret but," She swallowed thickly. "it's the only one I can come up with."

A moment passed, before Cerise sat up. She held out a hand, which Raven looked at. "You aren't the only one that wants to be normal." She didn't do or say anything to elaborate, and Raven let her be. She understood, and while she didn't quickly forgive her, she was willing to listen. It was a start. And a start was better than nothing.


	13. Chapter 13

"Acquaintances?" Raven offered meekly, wary of reaching for Cerise's outstretched hand.

The other girl cocked her head. "For now."

"Work our way up to friends?" The young queen asked softly, and Cerise nodded. Slowly, Raven reached out, taking her hand and shaking firmly, signalling the deal officially struck. Silence soon followed, as the two girls sat across from each other, neither speaking. Cerise was the first to notice the people entering the castleteria, and she nudged Raven's foot withe the toe of her boot. The girl glanced over the shoulder of the cape, swallowing. A moment passed, before she stood.

"I'm... gonna go get something to eat. You want anything?" A moment passed, before the other girl stood, joining her. She gently grasped Raven's elbow, keeping the young royal close.

"Just ignore them. If they can't stop gawking, that's their problem, not yours."

Raven nodded, trying to take Cerise's advice to heart, but it was hard, when whispers followed every step she took. By the time they grabbed what they wanted and paid, Cerise had done her best to distract the other girl, for which Raven was grateful.  _Their problem, not yours. Their problem, not yours._

"You start classes tomorrow, right?" Raven nodded as the two girls returned to their table, Cerise never leaving Raven's side until they took their seats. "Nervous?"

"About taking classes? No. I like studying. I was top of my class at Wanderley Prep."

"What is that anyway?"

"It's a preparatory school for," She stopped, thinking. "For the nobility of Marberly."

"Oh." They settled into silence, ignoring each other until a voice across the castleteria broke through.

"Raven!"

The girl in question jumped, dropping her fork into her omelet. It took a moment, and Cerise watched in silent amusement as the young queen blinked, trying to get her bearings back, before slowly turning her head. She paled, and then a light blush spread over her cheeks, and she turned back to her omelet, picking up her fork and absentmindedly stabbing at it. "Is that...  _Dexter Charming_?" Raven nodded, not looking up. Cerise's mind began to put the pieces together, and she leaned forward. "I know we agreed to start off as acquaintances, but...  _why_  is Dexter Charming making his way over here?"

Raven slowly lifted her gaze, meeting the other girl's eyes. "Because I ran into him on the terrace this morning when I went out to watch the sunrise, and he listened to me vent before walking me back to my dorm and asking me to join him for breakfast. It's only polite that I said yes." She whispered conspiratorially.

"You really  _are_  a royal, aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cerise grinned. "Okay, lesson one in 'being a normal girl'- when a boy asks you to eat with him, it's _usually_  considered a date, and you don't  _always_  have to agree. Unless you want to."

Raven sat back, straightening, a look of understanding crossing her features. "Oh." She leaned forward again. "But what is this? Is this... is it... a.. a _date_?"

Cerise wrinkled her nose. "No. A date usually involves two people and a dark movie theater followed by dinner and lots of kissing."

The girl blushed, sitting back and smoothing the skirt of her dress, relieved. This wasn't a date, just breakfast. She felt a great sense of relief at that simple fact, before she suddenly grabbed the other girl's wrist. "You aren't going to leave me, are you? I don't know if I can handle this alone-"

_Blink._  Pause.  _Blink._  Pause. _Blink._

Raven slowly released the other girl's hand.

_She really has no idea of what's going on here. How sheltered was she as a child?_  But before Cerise could answer, Raven turned as Dexter stepped up to the table, sending him a nervous smile.

"Hi... Dex..." She stopped, unsure of what to say next. Cerise watched the awkward silence pass between the two, before scooting over, leaving a space for the Charming prince.

"Hey Cerise." He blushed, meeting her gaze briefly, making the situation even more awkward.

"Hey Dexter." Cerise gave him a soft grin as she settled in her new seat, suddenly overjoyed at the deal she and Raven had struck.

"Mind if I join you?" The two girls shared a glance before shaking their heads. The future Red Riding Hood nudged the chair she'd vacated towards him, indicating him to sit. Once all three were settled, the silence settled over the table again, a table cloth of awkwardness that all three parties wished they weren't contributing too. Well, two, for Cerise was merely there to observe and help Raven out. Several minutes passed, before Raven spoke up, turning to Dexter.

"So... are you the only Charming here?"

The boy looked up, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and blushed. "Um... well... actually, there's three. My older brother Daring and my sister Darling."

"Darling?" Raven raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Dexter nodded.

"She can't get over the names of some of the other students here." Cerise replied. "Apple, Daring and Hopper were pretty bad. Just wait until she meets Duchess, Blondie, Briar and Sparrow."

"Briar is well-known name in southern Marberly, where the briar plants are harvested for their thorns and the meat of their stems. Cerise is another common name in that same area; it's meaning is 'cherry', and girls are often given that name for the cherry festival that happens in early spring." Raven replied, taking a bite of her omelet. "I know those names, I'm used to those names. The others- Sparrow? Apple? Daring? Darling? Sparrow and Blondie?- those are just stupid."

Cerise rolled her eyes with a smirk and Dexter felt his annoyance briefly flare until he remembered that she was new. She hadn't grown up with the others like he and Cerise had. In fact, from what he'd been able to piece together, she'd lived a fairly sheltered life, up until now, what with being a young queen and all. Just as he was about to say something, Raven spoke again, this time directing her attention at Dexter. "And did you say that you're a twin? With...  _Darling,_  right?" He nodded, and she swallowed, covering her mouth with her napkin again before picking up her mug. "I don't know how you treat twins here, but in Marberly, twins are considered a sign of good fortune, not just for the family, but for the village and the country as a whole."


	14. Chapter 14

Eventually, the castleteria began to clear out; both Dexter and Cerise bid Raven goodbye, each promising to give her a tour of the grounds when they got out of their last class, Cerise promising to bring Cedar along. Raven watched them both go, Cerise's words from earlier bouncing in her head.

_"You brought up Sparrow twice. Did you mean Duchess? I can understand why, though, out of all the names for fowl, Robin Hood and Maid Marian had to go with the passeridae family of birds. Then again, they couldn't have picked a better bird except maybe a blue jay- considering sparrows are one of the few birds that never shut up and Sparrow loves to hear himself talk. I don't think he gets tired of his own voice. So maybe they did pick the right name after all."_

Raven chuckled softly, bringing her mug to her lips; since she didn't start classes until the next day, she was trying to enjoy the quiet she was left with in the near empty castleteria. Breakfast with Dexter hadn't been as bad as she'd expected, especially with Cerise there to help break the awkward silence. She found that she greatly enjoyed both Dexter and Cerise's company; from what she could tell, they treated her like she was normal, only occasionally asking a question in regards to her royal upbringing- one of which was drastically different to Dexter's or anyone else's.

As the sole heir of the throne of Marberly, and the last female of the line, Raven had been raised with the knowledge that she would one day take the throne. She had learned proper royal etiquette from the time she was a small girl, the proper way to address visiting dignitaries and what to do when faced with a difficult decision in regards to her country. She'd grown up listening to her father discuss battle strategies, and write up treaties with other countries, always wondering when it would be  _her_  turn. Though her father had tried giving her a normal childhood, there was so much Raven didn't know or understand. And in that sense, she was incredibly naive, almost childlike in her innocence.

Once she finished the last of her tea, she got up, setting the mug on a tray in the area where the dirty dishes were cleaned, before leaving. She wasn't sure where she was headed, but she figured, since she had time to kill, she could do a little exploring on her own. She bid the castleteria workers goodbye and then left, heading down the now quiet halls, letting her feet carry her away, not caring where she was going. Eventually, she slipped through a door, finding herself in the library.

The library was huge, with a huge common area for studying, complete with a fireplace. After a moment of just drinking everything in, she made her way to the help desk. "Um, excuse me-"

_"Shh!"_  Two harsh whispers silenced her, and Raven started, stepping back, but she didn't let that deter her. After a moment, she returned to the desk, laying her clutch on the counter top and folding her hands over it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but..."

"Quiet in the library!" One of them snapped harshly, and Raven glanced at her, taking in her purple dress with the hideous pink belt. Raven licked her lips, leaning towards the other one, who sat cataloging books, watching the young girl out of the corner of her horn-rimmed glasses.

"I... I don't know if Headmaster Grimm told you about me, but..." She stopped. What would be the best way to get them to allow her to do as she pleased, which, was, at that moment, carouse the forbidden book section- something Cerise and Dexter had told her about during breakfast. For Raven, any chance to get her hands on books was a good thing, but books that had specifics on more advanced magic... back home, she'd read every book on advanced magic she could get her hands on that had resided in the royal library, to the point where she knew them by heart. So to find something new, something she'd probably never read-

"Qui-"

"My name is Ravenna. I don't know if Headmaster Grimm mentioned me, but, I'm new here, and I was just wondering-"

"Ravenna?" The woman in burgundy asked, a little too loudly; thankfully the library was empty, what with all students but her in class. "The young queen?" The other woman looked up, hazel eyes going to the young woman on the other side of the desk. Raven nodded, silent. Quickly, both women stood, and stepped back, ducking into quick curtsies. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. Headmaster Grimm said something about a young queen from the south attending Ever After High, but we had no idea it was you."

"That's perfectly okay-"

"What can we do for you, Your Majesty?" The woman in purple asked, joining her sister at the desk. Both women were as kind as candlelight now that they knew who she was. Maybe her real name was a good thing after all, at least for something besides announcing her arrival at state visits and meetings with dignitaries. And the occasional scolding from her father.

Raven bit her lip, straightening. "I'm to understand that the library of Ever After High has some of the rarest books on advanced magic ever written. I was wondering if I would be permitted to look through them; possibly check them out? I did come here to study advanced magic, after all."

The step-sisters shared a glance, an entire conversation passing between them in seconds. After what felt like forever, both turned back to her. One of them removed a skeleton key from a drawer, holding it out to her. "You may study whatever books you wish, Your Majesty. Headmaster Grimm asked that all the faculty make sure your tenure at Ever After High goes as smooth as possible. The library is open from six in the morning until midnight. You may spend as much time here as you like."

She graced the sisters with a small smile as she reached out to take the key. "Thank you."

As she turned and made a beeline for the forbidden books section, skeleton key held tight in her hot little hand, she couldn't stop her smile from growing into a grin, nor did she want to. Maybe not being a 'normal girl' had its perks, once in a while.


	15. Chapter 15

By the time eleven rolled around, Raven had a stack of old, vellum-bound, gold-tinted, rare books stacked at least two feet high on the desk in front of her. And there were still so many she had yet to pull. Some she recognized as being the same ones in the royal library at home, but many were new to her. She stood browsing through a heavy tome on teleportation and transfiguration, trying to decide which books to check out.

A moment passed, before she closed the book in front of her and set it aside, taking a seat at the table. The books rose up in front of her, and after a moment, she sighed, sitting back. Where did she even begin? She'd learned all she could magic-wise at Wanderley, and the few tutors she'd had growing up had been able to help her advance her magic to a point. She had a good control over it, but still...

There was so much more to learn.

She knew that she'd only just scratched the surface in regards to the magic she could truly do. Once she gained full control of her powers- something that wouldn't happen until her eighteenth birthday, which was... she did the math in her head; if it was mid-August, and her birthday was on November twenty-fifth... she sighed, rubbing her forehead. She was so emotionally drained, she couldn't even remember the number of months between now and her birthday...

_You have two months until you turn eighteen. Well, technically two and a half._

Two months.

Two full months- almost three- until her powers fully manifested, which meant she had nearly three months to learn as much as she could so that she could get a hang on controlling her powers. This was the one thing she wished her father could help her with, but being a  _meartiol_ \- a human born without magic in their blood, and a royal at that- and with her mother locked away since she was roughly six-years-old, meant that Raven was on her own. It was common knowledge that the magic came down through the women in Raven's family- on the very rare exception that a son was born with magic, the child had often been killed as soon as it was known, in order to keep the bloodline's magic pure. She knew that a good majority of the women in her line had married  _meartiols_  so to keep from spoiling the blood with others who possessed magic, for too much magic all but sterilized the magic user- making them unable to use magic at all; at one time, long before even Avesa, the women of Marberly's royal line had sought out men who possessed no magic in their blood, for the specific reason of purifying the bloodline, a practice still done today.

It didn't fully make sense to Raven now, just as it hadn't when she'd first learned of what was called 'The Choosing'. As it was, Raven herself was expected to go through her own 'Choosing' when it came time for her marry and continue the female line. Though Marberly was as modern as the next country in some respects and regards, she was also very set in her ways. 'The Choosing' was one of them.

Puffing out her cheeks, she stood, flicking her wrist lightly, causing the stacks of books to levitate. As she brought them and the key back to the front desk, one of the sisters looked up. "Did you find everything you were looking for, Your Majesty?"

"And more." Raven replied, handing the woman the key. She glanced at the books. "Is there any limit to the number of books I can check out?"

The woman thought a moment, shaking her head. "So long as no one is requesting it, the limit is whatever you feel suited to. With the major sections, we limit to six, but because these are all from the forbidden section, you may choose however many you like. Not many students browse the forbidden section."

A soft smile tugged at Raven's lips. "That's great. I might bring back the ones I've already read, but I want to reread them, just to make sure I haven't missed anything." The older woman nodded. Once done, she handed the slip of paper to the young royal, bidding her a good afternoon, and reminding her that the library was open until midnight if she wished to return. Thanking her with a soft nod, Raven left the library, the stacks of books trailing beside her. She strode down the halls, trying to ignore the glances cast her way as she returned to her dorm; with only a couple minutes left until final bell for the second-to-last class, students hurried in every direction, hugging books to their chests and double checking that they had their assignments. Even though it was only the second week of school, a few of the professors had deemed it the perfect time to give out homework to unsuspecting students.

After reaching her dorm, she set the stack of books on her desk, removed her heels, set her clutch down, and grabbed the first book off the top, returning to her bed with a small bag of pumpkin sweeties that her father had slipped into her jacket pocket before he'd left; a parting gift to his beloved daughter, a reminder of the fall festivals that would start taking place at the end of September, beginning of October. The small pumpkin balls were rolled in chocolate and decorated like reverse jack-o-lanterns. She settled back among the pillows, bag of sweeties by her side, the book opening in her lap.

She became so caught up in her reading, that she barely heard the knock on the door; it took several minutes before she was able to tear her gaze away to listen intently for the sound again. Once more, she heard the knocking, and after a moment, "Come in."

The door opened a few inches, before she heard, "Raven?" Tearing her gaze away, she looked up, to find Cerise poking her head into the room. "Cedar and I just got out of class. Do you... still want that tour?" A moment passed before she marked her page and shut her book, climbing off her bed and slipping into her heels, as Cerise's voice stopped her. "You might want to put on a pair of flats. We're going to be doing a lot of walking."


	16. Chapter 16

"Hey Cerise?" The red cape swished as the girl in question turned to her two companions. "What's that?"

Raven nodded towards the old stone building that stood abandoned on the far end of the grounds. The girls stood on the grassy knoll that overlooked the rest of the campus; it spread out before Raven like a road map, waiting to be explored. The grassy knoll wasn't far from the main part of campus; it was a place where students came to hang out, relax, or enjoy the fresh air in spring and the snow in winter. "That? That's the dragon stables."

"Dragon stables?"

Cedar nodded. "Ever After High used to hold Dragon Games, like, a long time ago. The stadium's all rundown and grassy now, and the stables are abandoned."

Raven turned to them. "Dragons?"

The girls nodded, confused. The furrowed brow and pursed lips told them that she was having a tough time grasping such a simple concept as a dragon. Neither could understand why; hadn't she ever seen a dragon before?

"They exist?"

Both girls started then, shocked looks on their faces. New or not, how could she even ask such a... a... ridiculous question? Of course they existed! But what neither Cedar nor Cerise understood, was that in Marberly, dragons were pure myth and fantasy- something made up to entertain children, something the ancient gods and goddesses of Marberly once kept as beloved companions. Just as Cerise and Cedar had grown up believing in dragons, Raven had grown up listening to the myths of the great creatures, but always knew they were not real. Marberly was so far south of Ever After, that the myth of  _mermaids_  was more common- and more believed to be real- than dragons, especially since Marberly's southern coast was bordered by the Maberlinian sea.

"Yeah, they exist. Haven't you ever seen one?"

Raven shook her head. "Well, yes. But only on ancient Maberlian pottery. They were believed to be the companions to the gods." The girls shared glances. "You don't... really believe they exist, do you?"

"We know they exist." Cedar replied, tapping her nose. Raven nodded slowly, one slender black eyebrow raising in skepticism. "Hey, Raven?" Violet eyes met brown. "Just... just how far south  _is_ Marberly?"

The young queen thought a moment, doing the math quickly in her head before she spoke. "I could give you a rough estimate of how many miles south my homeland is, but," She stopped, seeing the looks on the girls' faces. "it would simply be a rough. It's safer to say that Marberly is," A lump formed in her throat, reminding her exactly how far away from her home she was. "well, Marberly is bordered by the coast of the Maberlinian sea to the south. There are six other countries you must cross through first before you even _reach_  the border- Vispen and Andorilia to the west, Hestav and Minlex to the north, and Forquniz and Palmarneae to the east." Raven ticked of each country on her right hand like she was reading a shopping list, for she'd spent her childhood learning the cultures and histories of Marberly's six neighbors, each as ancient as Marberly herself.

"Andorilia is a small country, but she's mighty. What she lacks in land, she makes up for in military; she is our neighbor closest to the coast. Vispen is our strongest partner in trade; she's wealthy, and more than one Marberlinian man and woman of royalty has married into the Vispen monarchy. When I  _do_  one day marry, it's highly likely that I will chose a partner from Vispen's royal family." She stopped, looking up. "Am I going too fast?"

Both girls shook their heads, sharing a glance.  _How can she remember all this, when we can barely remember what assignment is due for what class?_

Cerise shook her head _. It's like she's visited them every chance she got._

"Hestav and Minlex were once known as Hestav-Minlex, a combined country, that was split in two by civil war, back sometime in the sixteen hundreds. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with. Some of the greatest poets and composers of all time have come from Hestav and Minlex." She thought a moment, before continuing. "Forquniz and Palmarneae are probably Marberly's strongest allies. Palmarneae used to be part of Marberly before she broke off and sought her own independence. If we ever face war, Palmarneae is who Marberly will turn to. And Forquniz... well," A small smile tugged at her lips. "My father is from Forquniz; he was the Crown Prince before he married my mother."

"So your mother was the-"

"Crown Princess of Marberly before me? Yeah. Her younger brother, my uncle, was killed in a hunting accident when he was twelve and my mother was sixteen. At least, that's the 'official' story." The horrified look on Cedar's face told Raven all she needed to know, and the young royal rolled her eyes. "Marberly has a... a _history_  of disposing of her princesses before or even immediately  _after_ they'd take the throne. In the eyes of the court, my uncle's hunting accident was... very  _minor_  payback for the generations of Marberly princesses and queens that were murdered during the Blood Wars-"

"Um," Cerise swallowed thickly, cringing. "Blood Wars?"

Raven stopped, thinking. "There was a... roughly three hundred year period in Marberly's history where the men of the royal lines had their sisters killed so they could take the throne."

" _Three. Hundred. Years?"_  Cedar asked, eyes widening. Raven nodded.

"Three centuries of bloodshed, simply because some...  _male_  in the family tree decided that he wanted to be king. Ever since the Blood Wars ended, the males have been killed off to prevent them from overthrowing their sisters- poetic karma, as most of Marberly likes to think."

The girls shared a glance. "Do you, you know, have any siblings, Raven?"

The young queen shook her head at Cedar's question as Cerise seemed to relax.

" _Good_."


	17. Chapter 17

"Um, Raven, what's with all the books?"

"Yeah. I mean, I like to read as much as the next girl, but this is-"

"Excessive." Cerise watched as the girl took a seat on the bed, pulling the book she'd been reading earlier onto her lap. Raven looked up, meeting the girls' gazes.

"I came here to study magic. Ever After High has the most advanced courses on magic, and the library has some of the oldest, rarest books on magical study in the world. How else am I supposed to be able to control my powers if I first don't learn  _how_  to?"

"Powers?" Cedar asked, taking a seat beside the young woman. Slowly, Cerise joined them sitting on Raven's other side. The young queen sighed, hugging the book to her chest. "You're a witch?"

"Yes, I am." A moment passed before she lifted her hand, flicking her wrist and producing a small, amethyst flame in the palm of her hand. The girls shared wide-eyed looks, even as Raven extinguished the flame in her palm. "Every woman of the royal line of Marberly has been able to wield magic; when a female witch of the royal line reaches her eighteenth birthday, she gains her full powers, which means she has to have  _some_  semblance of control of them by then. Back during the Blood Wars, women of my line were killed, snuffing out more than half of the magic bloodline." She reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"That's horrible." Cerise whispered.

"That's my ancestry. Marberly isn't proud of the three centuries of murders, but it's what happened. The men that often took over were  _meartiols_ \- those who have no magic in their blood. My father is one of them." She bit her lip. "If a magic user marries another magic user, the magic cancels itself out, and the witch is essentially sterilized."

"So that means-"

"They won't be able to do magic." Raven clarified at Cedar's curious glance. "To my knowledge, that's never happened- not in my line, anyway. And sons, well, when a son is born with magic, it's killed as soon as the magic makes itself known."

"Why?"

"To keep the bloodline pure- the magic bloodline." She corrected, rolling her eyes heavenward briefly. "I turn eighteen in two months, so that means I have two months to get my magic fully under control before I gain my full powers; which is essentially the reason I came to Ever After High in the first place. Madame Yaga is one of the strongest magic users in the world, I can learn a lot from her. And like I said, the library has some of the rarest books on magic." She sighed, looking down at the book. "My mother is locked up, and my father is a  _meartiol_ , so I am essentially going through this... whole process completely alone."

"What happens if you don't get control of your powers by the time you turn eighteen?" Cedar asked, and Raven shrugged.

"I don't know. It's never happened before- not that I've been able to find, anyway. And with all the lives snuffed out back during the Blood Wars-" She stopped. "I am the last royal witch of the Marberly line. I'm the last queen of the line- the first and the last. The first in goddess knows how many years and the last."

"So... what? Are you expected to marry after you turn eighteen, too?"

Raven snorted softly. "No. Not yet. First I gain my full powers. That happens in two months, once I hit eighteen. I won't be expected to marry until I turn twenty."

"You only have two years before you have to find a husband?" Cerise asked, her stomach churning.

"If I don't marry by then, the line will die with me. Witches can live terribly long lives anyway, but in order for the monarchy to remain intact, I must marry and produce an heir.  _Preferably_  before I turn twenty, but twenty is the end point."

The girls shared a glance. She spoke with such calm, as though she were discussing the weather and not her future. As it stood, they both were having issues accepting their storybook destinies, but it was nothing compared to Raven's. Full powers at eighteen? Married by twenty? An heir by... what? Twenty-one? Twenty-two?

"How can you be so calm about all this? Your destiny is completely screwed-"

"Destiny is just a word where I come from, Cerise." Raven replied, turning to her. "There's no such thing as destiny-"

"Then what do you call what you just told us? If not destiny, what is it?"

The young queen thought a moment, sighing. "It's," She huffed. "It's my birthright." She sighed. She set the book aside, getting up and wandering towards the full-length mirror at the other end of her room. "From the time I was old enough to grasp the concept, I've known that I would be queen. But, unlike yours," She turned to them. "I had a choice. I could choose _not_  to take the throne, but that would have thrown my country into chaos, and I love Marberly too much to see that happen to her."

"So you chose to become the queen?" Cerise asked, confused. "I don't understand. You said you had a choice, but-"

"My father understood if I didn't want to take the throne, but I always knew that the throne was my birthright. It belongs to me. By rights of my birth, the throne of Marberly is mine." She studied her reflection, swallowing thickly. "So I took it. I took my rightful place on the throne a year ago when my father stepped down. Do I regret it? No. Do I have my doubts at times?" She sighed, studying herself briefly before turning to the other two. "Always."


	18. Chapter 18

That evening, after the girls left, Raven changed into her pajamas and curled up under her blankets, the book open and propped against her knees. Apple had returned not long after the girls left, ignoring Raven and quickly changing for bed. The young queen had rolled her eyes; while she was sorry that Apple's 'destiny' would be unfulfilled, it wasn't  _her_  fault. She refused to play some 'two-bit part' simply to make the blonde bimbo happy. She had a country to rule and a people to care for; while it may have been all fairy tales and happy endings here, back home in Marberly, Raven and her people faced the real world, something these pampered, spoiled brats didn't understand. She only hoped that the real world would one day bite them all the ass, and bite them good.

She sighed, feeling herself relax; the tea she'd made earlier was clutched tight in her grasp as she continued reading. The moon shone through the window by her bed, and after several minutes, she set her cup and book aside, climbing out from beneath the covers and going to the window.

_Spells and magic are always stronger when practiced under a full moon._

She sighed, leaning against the window. If only she had that option.

Back home, it wasn't uncommon for her to slip out of the palace on nights of the full moon, and go dashing into the woods surrounding the palace grounds with the other young witches to practice and work on magic casting; they didn't look at her as their queen then, just another girl there to practice her craft. But here, there was nowhere she could go-

Or was there?

She ran back over the campus she'd toured with Cerise and Cedar that afternoon in her head; Cerise had mentioned something about a forest. They'd gone to the edge, but not into. After a moment, she slipped into a pair of flats, grabbed her spell book- the one she'd started when she turned eight, for "every young witch needs a book to hold her spells and whatever else she wishes to keep close to her fingertips" as Madame Winterly used to tell them at Wanderley. Then, she grabbed her heavy black cloak with the silver thread along the bottom, and slipped out of the room, pulling the hood up over her head as she went, being careful not to wake Apple.

She made her way out of the school and across the grounds, the treeline in her sight. Once she reached the treeline, she turned back. Ever After High rose up out of the darkness, beckoning her back to the safety and warmth of her dorm. She lifted her head, catching sight of the full moon, and after a moment, dashed into the woods. Moments passed, moments spent walking, before she stopped and removed her shoes, relishing the feel of the earth beneath her feet.

She knew not where she was going, just that she had to find a clearing in which to practice. Eventually, she stopped, seeing the fork in the road. To the left, dense, thick, darkened woods that seemed to beckon all who dared enter to a fate worse than death. To her right...

_"The Dark Forest is to the left. The Enchanted Forest is to the right."_

A moment passed before she stepped to the right, letting her feet carry her into the enchanted forest as Cerise's words came back to her. After walking for several minutes, she stopped, coming up a clearing; the natural fall of old trees seemed to create an enclosure, and she slowly removed her cape, setting it beside her shoes and book as she stepped into the clearing. Silence met her, but there was something different about it; it felt as though it had been waiting for her to arrive. Through a gap in the tree canopy, the moon shone down, bathing the clearing in its soft light.

After the wonder of the area had settled over her, she set to work, collecting branches and twigs to make a small fire. As the small flames blazed, she grabbed her spell book, taking a seat on the ground so she could read by the firelight. Over the years, Raven had added everything from the correct spices to make spells stronger to spells her maternal grandmother had used, making her book a mélange of different things; from spells to raise the dead and transfigure, to love spells and potions to bring about eternal luck. With its amethyst pendant sewn to the worn leather of the spine, and it's often dogeared pages, Raven's book of spells had seen much love in its short lifetime.

She stopped, eyes lighting on a spell she'd learned not long before coming to Ever After. Quickly, she grabbed one of the small pouches that was connected to the spine of her book and removed her cards. Tarot had always been Raven's strong suit, and she'd excelled in the courses she'd taken in divining the future at Wanderley. As she quickly shuffled her cards, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_Reading the cards beneath the light of a full moon enhances their power. It helps the visions and tellings to appear stronger and clearer. With each card you lay down, the moon puts more of herself into your reading. She can be an incredibly strong force to help you discern your future during a reading, for she does not lie._

Slowly, Raven pulled three cards- one signifying her past, one her present and one her future, the spell in her book falling from her lips.

_"By the light of the crystal moon, I pull three._

_Ask dear Goddess, to answer me._

_Show me through your knowledge,_

_What I must truly see._

_I call on your spirit,_

_As I will it, so mote it be."_


End file.
